Air bed

ABSTRACT

An air bed comprising an air spring unit disposed on a support platform and comprising a plurality of parallel, uniformly spaced and vertically aligned inflatable bellows having closed tops and open ends, the tops interlocked and the ends fixed through the platform, and an elastic expandable member coupled to the open end of each bellows and disposed within an expansion-limiting frame. An air tube is coupled to each elastic member and leads into an enclosed distributor by engagement with a valve mounted therethrough. Inflation of the combined bellows and elastic member is effected by air pumped from a compressor having an air line leading into the distributor. Closing and opening of the valves is effected by a table within the distributor selectively moveable against the valve release pins.

United States Patent [191 Kery [4 1 Jan. 15, 1974 AIR BED [76] Inventor:Edmund Kery, 908 E. 55th St., New

York, N.Y. 11234 22 Filed: Nov. 27, 1972 211 Appl.No.:309,734

[52] US. Cl. 5/348, 297/284 [51] lint. Cl. A47c 27/08 [58] Field ofSearch 5/348, 349, 350,

5/351, D16. 2; 297/DlG. 8, BIG. 3, 284

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,605,145 9/1971 Graebe5/348 3,192,541 7/1965 Moore i. 5/349 2,897,520 8/1959 Bradford 5/3482,814,053 '1 1/1957 Sevcik 5/348 2,779,034 l/l957 Arpin 5/348 2,350,7116/1944 Amos 297/DlG. 8

Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel Assistant ExaminerAndrew M. CalvertAttorneySydney B. Schlessel [5 7 ABSTRACT An air bed comprising an airspring unit disposed on a support platform and comprising aplurality ofparallel, uniformly spaced and vertically aligned inflatable bellowshaving closed tops and open ends, the tops interlocked and the endsfixed through the platform, and an elastic expandable member coupled tothe open end of each bellows and disposed within an expansion-limitingframe. An air tube is coupled to each elastic member and leads into anenclosed distributor by engagement with a valve mounted therethrough.Inflation of the combined bellows and elastic member is effected by airpumped from a compressor having an air line leading into thedistributor. Closing and opening of the valves is effected by a tablewithin the distributor selectively moveable against the valve releasepins.

AIR BED BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Thisinvention relates to beds and bedding and has for its objective theprovision of an air bed whose resiliency to support a human body inscientific comfort in repose is provided for by a support memberencompassing a plurality of spaced, vertically-aligned, independent airsprings, or air-inflated bellows, disposed therein beneath a softprotective layer of material and maintained with a constant air content,each air spring coupled to an elastic member, whereby bodily weightapplied to the support member not only causes temporary compression ofeach air spring, in accordance with the amount of weight borne by it,but allows some of the contained air to pass into and inflate theelastic attached member within designated limits, thereby to providegreater and more uniform adaptability of the support member to thecontours of the human body, the support member returning to its originalshape with the removal of the imposed weight.

2. Prior Art In the prior state of the art there have been providedvarious forms of air cushions and mattresses. Some of these devicesprovide for their inflation with air as a single unit, so that whenpressure is applied to one area of the cushion or mattress air isdisplaced to areas not subjected to pressure, thereby making them bulky,misshaped and wobbly, contributing very little to comfort. In otherforms the cushions and mattresses are subdivided into partitioned areas,with each partitioned area individually filled with air. When pressuresare applied to any specific partitioned area or areas, resiliency islimited to compression of the contained air, since the latter isconfined to the limits of its enclosure. In further forms of the presentart air mattresses or supports are provided with individually,air-filled bellows disposed across the area of the mattress, so thatdepression of specific bellows is encompassed by the degree of pressureapplied to each. In these forms, however,

resiliency is restricted to the extent to which the en- I trapped air iscapable of compression, with no provision for temporary escape of a partof the contained air from its bellows, so that the greater the-pressureapplied, the greater the resistance to such pressure.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The aforementioned disadvantages areovercome by my invention, which provides for an air bed including asupport member in which a plurality of spaced air springs or bellows aresupported in vertical alignment below a protective layer of material,with each air spring in communication with an elastic and inflatablemember and individually filled with air to a preselected, uniformpressure. When filled with air to the desired pressure the volume of aircontained in each air spring and communicating elastic member remainsconstant, regardless of pressure or compression. When pressure isapplied, as by a reclining body, to the support member the air springswill compress independently, in accordance with the degree of weight orpressure applied, thereby to fit the contours of the reclining body,with the air contained in each air spring not only compressing to aspecific degree, but also relieved by the escape of some of the air intothe elastic, inflatable member, and thereby providing a higher degree ofresiliency and buoyancy to the entire bed, with the extent of inflationof the elastic member limited by a restrictive member. With the releaseof the pressure applied to the bed, as by removal of its occupant, theelastic members will constrict to original size, returning the displacedair to the respective air springs and thereby restoring them to theiroriginal size and shape. As is obvious, shifting of the body on the bedwill cause some of the air springs to compress further and some toexpand, depending on the shift of weight, so that the support membercontinues to follow the body contours. Compressor means is provided toinflate the air springs to deisred pressure and means to deflate them,as well as to regulate the firmness of the support member, or itssoftness, depending on the individual taste of the user.

It is therefore the principal object of my invention to provide an airbed wherein the resiliency and buoyancy of the bed is adjustable to anydesired degree of firmness or softness.

A second important object of my invention lies in the provision of anair bed wherein application of bodily weight will cause temporarydisplacement of the contained air, as well as compression.

A third important object of my invention lies in the provision of an airbed wherein depression of specific areas thereof is accomplished by theextent of weight disposed, thereby conforming the bed to the contours ofthe reclining body.

A fourth important object of my invention will be found in the provisionof an air bed wherein shifting of bodily weight will cause appropriateadjustment of the air springs.

A fifth important object of my invention lies in pro viding an air bedwhose firmness can be quickly and easily adjusted to individual taste ofthe user.

Still another important object of my invention lies in the provision ofan air bed composed of individual units which can be separately replacedwhere required.

These and other salient objects, advantages and functional features ofmy invention, together with the novel features of construction,composition and arrangement of parts, will become more readily apparentfrom an examination of the following description, taken with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of apreferred embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, partly brokenaway, to show disposition of the air springs;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken on lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing one of the airsprings in normal expansion, partly broken away;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing compression of the airspring;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken on lines 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged top view, partly in section, of the distributor;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged exploded view of the distributor of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the distributor of FIGS. 7 and 8;and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view, taken on lines ll0 of FIG. 9.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout thedifferent views.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Illustrative of the embodimentshown in the drawings, my air bed comprises a support frame 12, formedwith side walls 14 and end walls 16, and provided with a platform 18fitted into grooves in the walls 14 and 16 and adapted to support theair spring unit 20. Disposed adajcent the head portion of the bed 10there is provided an enclosed headboard housing 22 having a recessedfront wall section 24, adapted to accomodate the end wall 16 of theframe 12, so as to bring the rear end of the air spring unit 20 intoclose abutment with the unrecessed front wall 26. The top surface 28 ofthe headboard housing 22 is inclined, as shown, and is provided with anopening to seat a control panel 30, by means of which the air bed 10 maybe inflated and deflated, as will be hereinafter described. The surface28 may also provided other openings or support for appliances, such as alamp or radio(neither shown).

Referring now to FIGS. 26, the air spring unit 20 contains a pluralityof uniformly sapced air springs 32 vertically disposed in parallelrelationship throughout the unit 20, as shown. Each air spring 32 ispreferably, but not necessarily, composed ofa heavy gauge plasticmaterial, molded in the shape of a collapsible bellows, suitablycreased, as shown, and adapted to compress with the application ofpressure on its top surface 34, so that its enlarged areas converge, asis seen in FIG. 5. The angular sides of the air springs 32 may beprovided with stiffener elements 33, if desired, to give them greaterrigidity under pressure, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Each air spring 32is provided with a closed flat top surface 34, on which is mounted asteel ring 36 locked in place by support rings 38 and 40, the ring 36being provided with four spaced arcuate slots 42 around its outerperimeter, by which the top of each air spring 32 is secured in positionwith respect to adjoining air springs 32, in tensioned spacedrelationship, by tie members 44 whose converging ends are securedtogether by central tie rings 46, as shown in FIG. 2.

The bottom end of each air spring is enlarged to form a pedestal 48extending into a reduced circular flange 50 adapted to extend through acircular aperture 52 in the frame platform 18, with the lower surface 54of the pedestal 48 abutting and resting upon the upper surface of theplatform 18, whereby each air spring 32 is thus supported in a fixed,vertical position. Each air spring 32 is thus disposed so that air canbe introduced thereinto through the flange 50. An elastic inflatableball 56 is secured to the air spring 32 by the engagement of itsenlarged neck 58 around the flange 50, secured thereto by a locking ring60, the ball 56 being reinforced around its outer area by a network 62of elastic stiffener bands, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The end of theball 56, opposite its neck 58 is provided with an opening 64 to which iscoupled the end of an air tube 66, through which air is introduced intothe combined air spring 32 and ball 56, as will hereinafter bedescribed. Expansion of the ball 56 is limited by the circumference of arigid basket element 68, in which the ball 56 is disposed, the basketelement 68 being secured to sapced ribs 70 extending from theundersurface of the platform 18, as by screws 72 threaded into the ribs70 through a support member 74 formed integral with the basket element68.

The air spring unit 20 is provided with a suitable support layer 76,composed of foam rubber topped by cotton or wool, or other similarmaterials, as is well known in the art, which is disposed across thetops of the air springs 32, the entire unit 20 including a casing 78fitted around the layer 76 and air springs 32, the bottom surface of thecasing 78 provided with apertures 80 through which the pedestal flanges50 extend below the platform 18, the upper surface of the casing 78being tufted, as shown in FIG. 1.

Coming now to FIG. 3, the air tubes 66, one of which is coupled to eachball 56, extend through the frame 12, passing through an opening 82 inwall 16 and an opening 84 in the headboard housing 22, wherein each airtube 66 is coupled to a valve 86 disposed through the top of adistributor 88, which is mounted to the undersurface 90 of the inclinedsurface 28 of the headboard housing 22, as shown, the end of thedistributor 88 thereby forming the panel 30 exposed through the openingin the surface 28 heretofore described, and the valves 86 providingcommunication between the air tubes 66 and the interior of thedistributor 88. The air tubes 66 pass through, and are supported by,rings(not shown) secured in the bottom surfaces of the ribs 70. Acompressor 92 is secured to the floor of the headboard housing 22, as bybolts(not shown) and is provided with an air line 94 leading into theinterior of the distributor 88, and is connected to a suitable source ofelectric current(not shown), with its activating wires terminating in aswitch 130 mounted on the control panel 30.

Referring now to FIGS. 7-10, the distributor 88 comprises a housing 96provided with a closure member 98, the latter containing the air valves86 whose locking pins 100 extend into the housing 96, and the closuremember 98 is secured in air-tight engagement with the housing 96 byscrews 102 threaded through extensions 104 of the closure member 98 intoextensions 106 of the housing 96, a gasket 108 being disposedthereinbetween.

The distributor 88 contains a footed table 110 provided with bores 112extending through its feet 114, and is thereby adapted to seat aroundcorresponding rods 116 fitted in the floor of the housing 96 andextending into the closure member 98, whereby the table 110 is adaptedto be raised and lowered within the housing 96, in raised position todepress the valve pins 100 to open the valves 86, and in loweredposition to release the pins 100, thereby closing the valves 86. Raisingand lowering of the table 110 is effected by means of a shaft 118rotatively journeled through the end walls of the housing 96 below thetable 110, and provided with a pair of eccentric cams 120 disposed inabutment with the undersurface of the table 110, the shaft 118 extendingthrough an end wall of the housing 96 to be exposed through the controlpanel 30, and terminating in a knob 122 fitted with and indicator symbor124 to show the position of the table 110 within the distributor 88, theknob 122 constituting means for rotation of the shaft 118. Tensionsprings 117 are mounted around the rods 116 between the table 110 andthe closure member 98 to force the table 110 away from the valve pins100 when the shaft 118 is rotated to lower the table 110.

The distributor is further provided with an exhaust valve 126 fittedthrough its end wall, and a monometer 128, both in communication withthe interior of the distributor 86, the valve 126, manometer 128, knob122 and switch 130 being all mounted in the end wall of the distributor88 forming its control panel 30.

OPERATION OF THE INVENTION My air bed is inflated for use, throughoperation of the control panel, as follows: switch 130 is thrown toactivate the compressor 92 and force air therefrom through its air line94 into the distributor 88. Knob 122 is then turned to raise the table110 to depress the valve pins 100, whereby the air is uniformly forcedthrough the air tubes 66 into the combined air springs 32 and elasticballs 56, the operator meanwhile noting the air pressure on themanometer 128. When the air springs 32 and balls 56 have been inflatedto the desired air pressure, as indicated on the manometer 128, the knob122 is rotated to its original position, releasing the valve pins 100from the table 100, the closing off all of the valves 86, the compressor92 is then deactivated. After testing the bed 10 for firmness, if thebed 10 is considered toosoft for comfort, the above procedure isrepeated to increase the air pressure. On the other hand, should the bed10 be considered too hard or firm for comfort, the air pressure can beselectively reduced by rotating the knob 122 to open the valves 86, anddepressing the exhaust valve 126 to exhaust air from the air springs 32and balls 56 as it passes back into the distributor 88, until thepressure descends to the desired reduction. In this manner the firmnessor softness of the bed 10 can be adjusted quickly and easily, to anydegree desired.

In the event that any part of the air bed 10 malfunctions, such as, forexample, an air spring 32, elastic ball 56, or air tube 66, the part iseasily and quickly replaceable with a new part, as is obvious from thedisclosed construction.

It is further to be noted that the embodiment shown and described is byway of illustration and not of limitation, and that various changes maybe made in the construction, composition and arrangement of partswithout limitation upon or departure from the spirit and scope of theinvention, or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof inherenttherein, all of which are claimed.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An air bed comprising a support framework provided with an horizontalplatform and an air spring unit disposed thereon and comprising aplurality of bellowsshaped inflatable members constituting air springshaving flat closed tops and open bottoms, the air springs disposed inparallel, sapced, vertical alignment, with their top surfacesinterlocked and their open bottoms fixedly disposed through aperturesformed in the platform, an elastic expandable member coupled to the openbottom of each air spring and providing intercommunication therewith, arigid enclosure member disposed around each elastic member and adaptedto limit its exapnsion, an air tube coupled to each elastic member,means to inflate the combined air springs and elastic members, means toindicate the air pressure therein, means to selectively open and closethe air tubes, means to adjust the air pressure and means to exhaust theair from the combined air springs and elastic members.

2. An air bed as described in claim 1, the air spring unit being furtherprovided with a layer of soft material disposed across the top surfacesof the air springs and a casing enclosing the layer of soft material andthe air springs.

3. An air bed as described in claim 2, the means to inflate the combinedair springs and elastic members comprising a distributor including ahousing sealed by a closure member, a plurality of valves mountedthrough the closure member and opening outwardly therefrom and havingtheir release pins disposed in alignment within the housing, one of theair tubes coupled to the exposed end of each of the valves, and acompressor provided with an air line leading into the distributor.

4. An air bed as described in claim 3, the means to register the airpressure within the combined air springs and elastic members comprisinga manometer mounted on the outer surface of the distributor and incommunication with the interior thereof.

5. An air bed as decribed in claim 4, the means to selectively open andclose the air tubes comprising a plurality of rods fixed in the floor ofthe distributor housing and extending into the closure member, a tablereciprocally mounted on the rods and a shaft journeled through thehousing below the table and provided with ecentric cams abutting thetable undersurface, whereby rotation of the shaft alternately raises thetable to depress the valve pins and lowers the table to release thevalve pins, one end of the shaft extending from the distributor andterminating in a knob for manual rotation of the shaft.

6. An air bed as described in claim 5, a spring mounted around each ofthe rods between the table and the closure member and adapted to tensionthe table against the closure member.

7. An air bed as described in claim 6, the means to exhaust the air fromthe combined air springs and elastic members and to adjust the airpressure comprising an exhaust valve disposed through the end wall ofthe distrbutor and in communication with the interior thereof.

1. An air bed comprising a support framework provided with an horizontalplatform and an air spring unit disposed thereon and comprising aplurality of bellows-shaped inflatable members constituting air springshaving flat closed tops and open bottoms, the air springs disposed inparallel, spaced, vertical alignment, with their top surfacesinterlocked and their open bottoms fixedly disposed through aperturesformed in the platform, an elastic expandable member coupled to the openbottom of each air spring and providing intercommunication therewith, arigid enclosure member disposed around each elastic member and adaptedto limit its expansion, an air tube coupled to each elastic member,means to inflate the combined air springs and elastic members, means toindicate the air pressure therein, means to selectively open and closethe air tubes, means to adjust the air pressure and means to exhaust theair from the combined air springs and elastic members.
 2. An air bed asdescribed in claim 1, the air spring unit being further provided with alayer of soft material disposed across the top surfaces of the airsprings and a casing enclosing the layer of soft material and the airsprings.
 3. An air bed as described in claim 2, the means to inflate thecombined air springs and elastic members comprising a distributorincluding a housing sealed by a closure member, a plurality of valvesmounted through the closure member and opening outwardly therefrom andhaving their release pins disposed in alignment within the housing, oneof the air tubes coupled to the exposed end of each of the valves, and acompressor provided with an air line leading into the distributor.
 4. Anair bed as described in claim 3, the means to register the air pressurewithin the combined air springs and elastic members comprising amanometer mounted on the outer surface of the distributor and incommunication with the interior thereof.
 5. An air bed as decribed inclaim 4, the means to selectively open and close the air tubescomprising a plurality of rods fixed in the floor of the distributorhousing and extending into the closure member, a table reciprocallymounted on the rods and a shaft journeled through the housing below thetable and provided with eccentric cams abutting the table undersurface,whereby rotation of the shaft alternately raises the table to depressthe valve pins and lowers the table to release the valve pins, one endof the shaft extending from the distributor and terminating in a knobfor manual rotation of the shaft.
 6. An air bed as described in claim 5,a spring mounted around each of the rods between the table and theclosure member and adapted to tension the table against the closuremember.
 7. An air bed as described in claim 6, the means to exhaust theair from the combined air springs and elastic members and to adjust theair pressure comprising an exhaust valve disposed through the end wallof the distRibutor and in communication with the interior thereof.